Choosing where to go for your first appointment as an outpatient

If you need to be referred as an outpatient to see a consultant or specialist for a physical or mental health condition, you are able to choose the organisation that provides your NHS care and treatment. An outpatient appointment means you do not need to stay overnight and you can choose whenever you are referred for the first time for a new episode of care. Once you have been seen for your first outpatient appointment, if further follow up care is required, you would need to be seen by the same provider.

You can choose any organisation to provide your care that is commissioned by any clinical commissioning group or NHS England to provide that NHS service.

You can also choose which clinical team will be in charge of your treatment within your chosen organisation.

How do you find out more information about the clinical team who will be in charge of your treatment?

NHS Choices provides an A-Z of health services near you, along with information on healthy living and social care. You can:

Compare different hospitals according to what matters most to you, such as waiting times, patient safety, complaints or quality of food

Read what other patients have said about the hospital or leave your own feedback

Find out how a consultant performs for a particular procedure, or compare consultants from different hospitals before you make your choice for your first outpatient appointment

Our website includes information on waiting times at local hospitals. Click here for wait times for:

How do you ask to change hospital if you have to wait longer than the maximum waiting times (18 weeks, or two weeks to see a specialist for cancer)?

If you need to see a consultant or specialist you can ask to be referred to a different hospital if you:

Have to wait more than 18 weeks before starting treatment (if your treatment is not urgent)

Have to wait more than two weeks before seeing a specialist (if your GP thinks it is possible you have cancer)

Brighton and Hove patients can be treated by any NHS hospital in the country. In Brighton and Hove and surrounding areas, the main provider of hospital services is the Royal Sussex County Hospital, along with the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath.

You can also choose to receive your care within the private sector where the CCG has an NHS contract in place.

A Referral Management Service is in place across Brighton and Hove to support patient choice for consultant led first outpatient appointments. The Referral Management service will use the NHS e-Referral System to obtain live waiting time information.